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Rep. Yoho Statement on AHCA

“First, I want to thank everyone who took the time to call my office and share their thoughts on healthcare, an issue that we all agree is of great importance. I appreciate the passion and thoughtfulness you expressed, and want you to know that you were a crucial part of the legislative process in making your voice heard. I received 3280 phone calls – 215 in favor and 3,059 against. After careful thought and consideration, I decided that I could not support the American Health Care Act (AHCA).

“Today’s decision to postpone the vote on the AHCA was the right move. The bill that was presented to the House was not the correct vehicle at this time for a full, effective repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), a.k.a. Obamacare. It was a good first start, but the bill did not go far enough. The bill made changes to the existing law but didn’t remove the framework of Obamacare.

“Our goal to bring down skyrocketing premiums and repeal government-run healthcare with a more patient-centered system remains the same. We have an opportunity going forward to continue crafting a bill that gets healthcare right for all Americans.

“There is no one on Capitol Hill that wishes to pull the rug out from anyone or leave them without healthcare. Further, after reading the AHCA, I felt it did not accomplish what I was sent to Washington to do. Voters sent me to Congress to repeal Obamacare 100 percent and to fix our healthcare system. However, this bill left in place a framework of Obamacare that lasted at least until 2020. With that in place, any future Congress could re-implement federal mandates, subsidies, and control of our personal insurance.

“The AHCA created an unsustainable system of federal advanceable refundable tax credits for health insurance purchases. It did not repeal all of the ACA’s insurance regulations that drive up premiums. It did not ensure coverage would be adequately priced for elderly patients. Finally, the AHCA still would not have contained costs but would have kept government mandates requiring coverage that people do not want, need, or should pay for.

“In the future, repeal of the ACA will come, and healthcare in America will be fixed. Our goal is to make sure all Americans have access to quality health care that is affordable. We need a healthcare system that allows free markets to work between patients and their doctors, not big government mandating what type of coverage you have to buy or making important health decisions for you. My commitment to my constituents remains the same: to repeal Obamacare and repair healthcare in America.”